GB2263443A - Writing instrument with electronic calculator. - Google Patents

Abstract

A ball-point pen (10) which comprises a barrel (11) having a slot (33), a writing mechanism (16) located within the barrel (11), and a calculator circuitry provided within the barrel (11). The calculator circuitry includes a display (25) revealable through the barrel (11) and a flexible keyboard (26) which is movable between a first (scrolled) position retracted into the barrel (11) through the slot (33) and a second position extending out of the barrel (11) through the slot (33). <IMAGE>

Description

WRITING INSTRUMENT The present invention relates to a writing instrument incorporating a calculator.

According to the invention, there is provided a writing instrument which comprises a barrel having a slot, a writing mechanism located generally within the barrel, and a calculator circuitry provided generally within the barrel, said calculator circuitry including a display revealable through the barrel and a flexible keyboard which is movable between a first position retracted into the barrel through the slot and a second position extending out of the barrel through the slot.

In a preferred embodiment, the writing instrument further comprises a rotor which is engaged with the keyboard and located at least partially within the barrel for rotation about the axis of the barrel between a first position associated with the first position of the keyboard and a second position associated with the second position of the keyboard.

Preferably, the keyboard is arranged to be supported on the rotor in the first positions of the keyboard and the rotor.

It is preferred that the keyboard has an innermost portion at which the keyboard is connected to the rotor.

In a specific construction, the keyboard has a body which is formed by at last two flexible body layers which are slidable relative to each other, the inner sides of the body layers carrying corresponding electrical contacts cooperable to perform keyboard operations.

Preferably, the keyboard body layers are non-slidably connected together at an inner end of the keyboard and slidably connected together at an outer end of the keyboard such that the body layers are slidable relative to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the keyboard body upon movement of the keyboard between its first and second positions.

Advantageously, the keyboard includes an end piece attached to its outer end, said end piece having a dimension larger than the width of the slot of the barrel so as to prevent the outer end of the keyboard from entering into the barrel through the slot.

It is preferred that the keyboard body layers have corresponding aligned holes at the outer end of the keyboard, and the end piece has a part passing through the aligned holes for attachment thereto and for connecting the keyboard body layers together at the keyboard outer end, at least one of the holes being over-sized so as to permit said relative sliding movement between the keyboard body layers.

The keyboard body layers may each be provided by a separate sheet of material.

Preferably, the top layer of the keyboard body layers carries indicia which are of electrically-conducting material and form the corresponding electrical contacts, on the inner side of which indicia there are provided respective spacers bearing slidably against the confronting side of the bottom or next lower keyboard body layer.

In a preferred arrangements the calculator circuitry includes a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted, and the circuit board and the display are mounted on the rotor for rotation therewith.

Preferably, the barrel has an aperture with which the display of the calculator circuitry is arranged to align when the rotor is in its second position, and the aperture is closed by a magnifying lens through which the display is viewable.

It is preferred that the calculator circuitry is to be powered by a battery, and a battery compartment is provided at one end of the rotor, said compartment being accessible through a rear end of the barrel.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a writing instrument in accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the writing instrument shown therein embodying the invention takes the form of a ballpen 10 which includes a tubular barrel 11 formed by two semi-cylindrical parts 12 and 13. The barrel parts 12 and 13 are held together by two rubber rings 14 and 15 at corresponding reduced front and rear ends of the barrel 11.

The ball-pen 10 further includes a pen re-fill 16 which is located co-axially within the barrel 11 by a front end piece 17 closing the front end of the barrel 11, a rear end piece 18 closing the rear end of the barrel 11, and a pen cap 19 for engaging the front end piece 17 to cover the pen re-fill nib.

Within the barrel 11, there is co-axially located a plastic elongate rotor support 20 which is formed by a disc-like front end member 21 and a generally tubular rear end member 22 connected together by a longitudinally-extending offcentre integral plate 23. The rotor support 20 is held captive axially between opposed annular end walls of the barrel 11, and the two end members 21 and 22 thereof have an external diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the barrel 11, whereby the rotor support 20 is confined only to rotary motion relative to and within the barrel 11 about the axis thereof.

The ball-pen 10 further includes a calculator circuitry located generally within the barrel 11. The calculator circuitry is formed by a circuit of electronic components which are mounted on a elongate printed circuit board 24, a LCD display 25 electrically connected to the circuit on the circuit board 24 by a flexible ribbon cable (not shown), and a keyboard 26 likewise electrically connected to the circuit on. the circuit board 24 by a flexible ribbon cable (not shown). The circuit board 24 is supported on the rotor support 20 by six posts 27 integrally extending from the rotor support plate 23, whereby the circuit board 24 is located opposite the rotor support plate 23 with respect to the axis of the barrel 11. The display 25 is fixed in a seat 28 provided on the outer side of the rotor support plate 23.

The keyboard 26 has a body 29 formed by a top layer 29a and a bottom layer 29b which lie against each other (generally known as a film or membrane keyboard). The bottom keyboard layer 29b is a flexible plastic printed circuit board on the upper side of which a set of conventional electricallyconducting switch patterns is provided. The top keyboard layer 29a is a flexible plastic sheet carrying on the lower side thereof a set of keyboard indicia (not shown) corresponding to the switch patterns. Each of the indicia is formed of electrically-conducting material and carries an electrically-insulating bead/dot spacer (not shown) right behind. The spacers are hidden away by the corresponding indicia which are usually black in colour, and each is positioned centrally or at the centre of and serves to separate the corresponding one of the indicia from the associated switch pattern.

A switch of the keyboard 26 is activated when the top keyboard layer 29a is pressed down at the corresponding position to cause that part of the top keyboard layer 29a to come into contact with the associated switch pattern on the bottom keyboard layer 29b.

Each keyboard layer 29a or 29b has four holes 30a or 30b along a top side 26a of the keyboard 26 and likewise four holes 31a or 31b along a bottom side 26b thereof. The keyboard layers 29a and 29b are connected at the top keyboard side 26a together and to the nearer side of the circuit board 24 by means of four said posts 27 on this side which pass through the circuit board 24 as well as the corresponding holes 30a and 30b of the keyboard layers 29a and 29b before being thermally pressed to expand at the corresponding free ends to fix the relevant parts together.

The keyboard 26 extends out of the barrel 11 through a longitudinally-extending slot 33 formed between the barrel parts 12 and 13, with the bottom side 26b thereof disposed outside the barrel 11.

A bar 32 is provided along the bottom side 26b of the keyboard 26, which serves to strengthen the keyboard 26 as well as to connect the two keyboard layers 29a and 29b together along the said bottom side 26b. The bar 32 has a generally C-shaped cross-section, in which its two limbs 32a and 32b are arranged to lie generally side-by-side.

Although this is not shown in the drawing, the limb 32a has four circular-section studs on its inner side, and the other limb 32b has respective associated recesses in its inner side, within each of which recesses the associated stud can be snap-fitted to engage therewith. The keyboard layers 29a and 29b are connected together by the bar 32 by the studs firstly passing through the corresponding holes 31a and 31b of the keyboard layers 29a and 29b and subsequently engaging with the corresponding associated recesses as a loose snap-fit.

The size of the holes 31a is sufficiently larger than the diameter of the studs in a direction pointing towards or away from the barrel 11 such that the keyboard body layers 29a and 29b are slightly slidable over each other along that direction.

At the rear end of the circuit board 24, there is provided a pair of electrical contacts 34 between which a battery cell 35 is held, with positive and negative terminals thereof in contact therewith respectively, for supplying power to the calculator circuitry. The battery cell 35 is held in position within the rotor support end member 22 which is split at the outer end to form a pair of diametrically-opposed axially-extending slits 36. The rear end piece 18 of the ball-pen 10 has on its inner side an integral axially-extending plate (not shown) which engages within the slits 36 and thus with the rear end member 22 of the rotor support 20 when the end piece 18 is attached to the barrel 11. Upon removal of the end piece lt; the rotor support end member 22 is exposed through which the battery cell 35 can be replaced.

The upper barrel part 12 has a rectangular aperture 37 which is physically closed by a acrylic lens 38 fitted therein.

In operation, the rotor support 20 can be rotated relative to the barrel 11, in an angular direction shown by Arrow A in the drawing, to a first angular position from a second angular position by a user by means of the rear end piece 18 which acts as a turning knob. In the first angular position of the rotor support 20, the keyboard body 26 is retracted almost wholly into the barrel 11 through the slot 33 and lies round the rotor support 20 against the end members 21 and 22 thereof in a roll-in position. The first angular position of the rotor support 20 is defined by the bar 32 engaging the barrel 11 right outside the slot 33.

The keyboard body 29 can be withdrawn from within the barrel 11 by a user gripping the bar 32 and pulling the keyboard body 29 out, thereby rotating the rotor support 20 in the opposite angular direction to Arrow A. The keyboard body 29 is pulled almost out of the barrel 11, reaching a roll-out position, when the rotor support 20 reaches its second angular position (as shown) which is defined by a pair of co-acting internal stops (not shown) provided on each rotor support end member 21 or 22 and the inner side of the barrel 11, said stops coming into abutment against each other to stop further rotation of the rotor support 20.

In the second angular position of the rotor support 20, the display 25 of the calculator circuitry aligns with the aperture 37 of the barrel11, through which aperture 37 the display 25 can be read. At the same time, the keyboard 26 is fully exposed and the calculator circuitry is ready for use. The lens 38 is slightly magnifying in order to enhance readability of the display 25.

It will be appreciated that the rotor support may be omitted in a different embodiment. The keyboard may be suspended with its inner side within the barrel by a spring or other appropriate torsional suspension means. The spring is arranged to be loaded upon pulling out of the keyboard such that after use the keyboard can return upon release into the barrel under the action of the spring.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (14)

1. A writing instrument comprising a barrel having a slot, a writing mechanism located generally within the barrel, and a calculator circuitry provided generally within the barrel, said calculator circuitry including a display revealable through the barrel and a flexible keyboard which is movable between a first position retracted into the barrel through the slot and a second position extending out of the barrel through the slot.

2. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a rotor which is engaged with the keyboard and located at least partially within the barrel for rotation about the axis of the barrel between a first position associated with the first position of the keyboard and a second position associated with the second position of the keyboard.

3. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein the keyboard is arranged to be supported on the rotor in the first positions of the keyboard and the rotor.

4. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the keyboard has an innermost portion at which the keyboard is connected to the rotor.

5. A writing instrument as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the keyboard has a body formed by at last two flexible body layers which are slidable relative to each other, the inner sides of the body layers carrying corresponding electrical contacts co-operable to perform keyboard operations.

6. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 5, wherein the keyboard body layers are non-slidably connected together at an inner end of the keyboard and slidably connected together at an outer end of the keyboard such that the body layers are slidable relative to each other in a direction substantially parallel to the keyboard body upon movement of the keyboard between its first and second positions.

7. A writing instrument as claimed in any one of claim 1 to claim 6, wherein the keyboard includes an end piece attached to its outer end, said end piece having a dimension larger than the width of the slot of the barrel so as to prevent the outer end of the keyboard from entering into the barrel through the slot.

8. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 7 when dependent upon claim 6, wherein the keyboard body layers have corresponding aligned holes at the outer end of the keyboard, and the end piece has a part passing through the aligned holes for attachment thereto and for connecting the keyboard body layers together at the keyboard outer end, at least one of the holes being over-sized so as to permit said relative sliding movement between the keyboard body layers.

9. A writing instrument as claimed in any one of claim 5 to claim 8, wherein the keyboard body layers are each provided by a separate sheet of material.

10. A writing instrument as claimed in any one of claim 5 to claim 9, wherein the top layer of the keyboard body layers carries indicia which are of electrically-conducting material and form the corresponding electrical contacts, on the inner side of which indicia there are provided respective spacers bearing slidably against the confronting side of the bottom or next lower keyboard body layer.

11. A writing instrument as claimed in any one of claim 2 to claim 10 when dependent upon claim 2, wherein the calculator circuitry includes a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted, and the circuit board and the display are mounted on the rotor for rotation therewith.

12. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 11, wherein the barrel has an aperture with which the display of the calculator circuitry is arranged to align when the rotor is in its second position, and the aperture is closed by a magnifying lens through which the display is viewable.

13. A writing instrument as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the calculator circuitry is to be powered by a battery, and a battery compartment is provided at one end of the rotor, said compartment being accessible through a rear end of the barrel.

14. A writing instrument substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.